Whose Stock is Trending Up, Whose Stock is Trending Down After Virginia Tech's Second Week of Practice?

Has Virginia Tech’s fall camp seen more clarity to several position battles?

Virginia Tech Athletics

Nine total days have passed since Virginia Tech football kicked off its 2026 fall camp, but we've reached the second weekend. With that, here's a look at the player(s)/position group(s) I think are rising or falling based on how the recent trends look.

Marlion Jackson: UP

Jackson missed the spring, but it seems as if he's hit his stride. He was lauded by offensive coordinator Ty Howle at Media Day on Aug. 9 for his unique blend of size and speed.

Jackson is one of the Hokies' taller wide receivers — he's 6-foot-2 and clocks in at 210 pounds — and he's also one of the most experienced too. Jackson has played in 30 games over three years of action for Louisiana Tech, though he never started. Over that stretch, he accrued 753 receiving yards on 46 passes.

"He's a big guy, but he can still sink his hips and run," Howle said. "He's dynamic, so he has a really nice combination of speed and size. And so, we've been able to see that, obviously throughout the summer when he was getting back and rolling. But also in these first three practices, you've seen how he can be one of these guys that can maybe take the top off the defense, but still be able to run the whole route."

Wide receivers No. 3 battle: UP

Though the wideouts battling for the third starting slot alongside presumptive Nos. 1 and 2 (in some order) Ayden Greene (516 yards, three touchdowns for Virginia Tech in 2025) and Que'Sean Brown (846 yards, five touchdowns for Duke in 2025) may not appear gaudy in terms of overall statistics, the number of bodies crowding around for the reps lends some credence to optimism: Takye Heath, Jackson, Tyseer Denmark, Jeff Exinor, Chanz Wiggins and Keylen "Brodie" Adams, among others, are some of the names fighting for the No. 3 spot.

While it's often a wish to have six to seven wideouts fighting for real snaps, Virginia Tech seems to have a chance for that depending on its development. How much of that results in production — and how the split works both in conjunction with the run game and with the Hokies' tight ends — will determine how the Hokies' wide receiver corps fares this year.

Linebackers: DOWN

Virginia Tech has operated understaffed at the position, as senior Antwone Santiago hasn't been seen at practice and redshirt sophomore Gabe Williams was not at either media day on Aug, 9 or Aug. 13. Santiago started two games nad played 11 last season, logging nine tackles (one for loss) and a quarterback hurry. Williams played in four games last season and made one tackle.

Virginia Tech operated with Kaleb Spencer, Noah Chambers and Keon Wylie as its first team, while George Ballance, Curtis Jr. and Sherrod Covil working at the second team, though the team is currently designating Covil as a safety.